Starter for explosive-engines.



1. B. AUFULDISH.

STARTER FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLlcATloN FILED ofc. 1. 1911.

1,143,930. Patented June 22, 1915. A

4 SHEETS'SHEET l.

fw. @FGW www l. B. AUFULDISH.

STARTER FOR ExPLoswE ENGINES.

APPLICATION HLED DEC. i, 1911.

l. B. AUFULDISH.

STARTER FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

MPUCATIONy FILED DEC.1,1911.

. j,143,930. y Patented June 22, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

] 1 mento@ WMM/wow@ l. B. AUFULDISH.

STARTER FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED DLC. l, 19H. 1,143,930. Patented June 22, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4. Z0 30]@ 8 22 (f2177 f 24 j/g 2&5/ 9 v J0 \V Y 45 5i/T f f /y y f Muff n /5 o /4 //AQ/ f mf m H 9 f f Z5 Cil STARTER FGR EXPLOSIVE-EN2 Application edvnecember 1, 19111.

T0 @ZZ fui/10m. may concern Be it known that L .lm'iN B. AU-iifimsn, n citizen of tho United Stains, residing :it: Dayton7 in the county of M'ontgomei'iy and State of Ohio, have invented certain new :1nd nsefnl Impinnementst in Starters for ExplosiveFngines, of which thvl following is n specification,*reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention i'ehitffs to Starters foi' ex plosive engines :ind nuwe pniticulrliily t0 'Stnrtezn (if this Chaiinctm which ninploy acetylene gus :in the actuating medium.

The object (if the, invention is tu pindniie :i starter which @un hv operated by iifetylf-nif gas :it n pi'esnuife so low that it wili he abril hiteiy Sain.

To nccmnpiish this result it is z fnitlifn (inject nt' lh@ invention to provide :i diri ti'ibuting device; having n storngff Chumbo? or pocket clins tn the engin@ from whmh tlw van nnss qnickly und with :i minimum nf friction tu the Qyiinilm' in which it if; to be expiodmi; to provid? on?y 0i these chainbei's or pockets for @zich cylinder ni the eik gine; und in puniti@ means; iifn' Simcvssiwly Connecting; @uch iiioftlu-t with Si@ uyiirnflmx it in also :in object it the ifrwnticn to prni'iflv nimma; .iwieliy the chfi' gv to he introilncud into the, @vlinder muy lit-,2 invnsnrmi and all dringen' if intmdnfing too large n Cl'ifxign thus cliniinnted.

It is :i fni'thei Object (if ther invention to pim'id@ :i devia of this (',harnctilr which Willi he simifie :intl dni'zihle in it@ Cnnnti'nction, of light wvigrhil and inuxi'icnsifn to manufzzfftui'v.

ln th@ :':Cmimimnying diziwingn, Figure l :1 (up, plan Jimi ma :in engin@ sln'awing my tiniiniii nm'timmi viv-c thi'ongli thc ilviilniing i; iinnmim'rlv seiftinn tuin-ia ni and ifiolfng in ih" minimun; Fig. i is n finnfml on the lino ffn 0f Vig. il :i direction mi' lw mimn's: nl' onil nf tho vnlws; ld" a pm'tiwn of n gus tank ,Qi nwig t n# pipes; lending tinii'eii'fnn to the .a :inl tn tim. lighten Fig'. 'i' is :i i'eitii'nl -i;inn through one 01" the plgfs by nnninfi of which the gus may be introduced into they engine; Fig, 8 is a top, plan View of th@y same; Fig. 9 is n detail of the mechanism for imparting Specification of Letters raient. im @limi l im, 2525!? f tional vim Serial, 3F58.

miwemunt t@ k1 un daad @anni j. i" if lll" i ing a slight inn. n: longitudinal l distributing @win verse Sefrtiony mlm In these im inwnbion :in :il of the type a; biles and nfemnce: n me; iii ifncylimlv: iiit turning; @ne in: morn t-ity nii' exp? Y y thereby impatti' nf the pm't'icni-i l M in exploded, lllc nimm: of coi-irse, inztnntes the sin ,i tons, thus (mining charged ni i drawn into the ntlii' fyliniler'a and .Xlilmwi in the usualy ninnnni'.

The fifiitifni i' mice infn' designed ily iene im n@ @camini linnn x commonly Q, which niriy in any :enitnhin stood7 huwewi',

this

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gils may be 'iniciloysd nnfgi ihm whatever itis Qlifiimtifer, inw# i'- from any snitahhf si The, dietanfgig lili* sournonf faniiyly nwfwsnry tu i prenten-Q, in inf.iij: pnmnls. film nzfiiiy iientylene ma wmlmis within:

f hy inei'pnbing inl/innen t] and am cylindirrn distirinntl f taining a nhuality of chambers or pockets adapter. eceive and store small, and pref erably nufasured, quantities of-gas. These pockets are connected vth the respective cylinders by conduits, ea li of which is con-' gine cylinders. The gas under low pressure moves through the conduit and fills the eral pockets of the distributing device. The conduit may then be closed between the distributing device and the tank or it may be left open. \Vhen it is desired to start the engine the conduits leading from the pockets to the respective cylinders are opened and the gas which is confined in the pockets under low pressure and is of a highly expansive character, will quickly enter the cylinders, in which it may be ignited. Of course, it is only necessary' to explode a charge in one cylinder to start the engine but all the pistons in all the cylinders are not 1n a condition to permit the cylinder to receive and eX plode the charge and to avoid the necessity of determining the position of the pistons in the several cylinders I prefer to introduce a charge of gas into each cylinder. Then the charge in the cylinder which is in the proper condition for starting will be exploded when the circuit is completed.

It will be obvious that this distributing device may take various forms but for the purpose of illustration I have here shown the same as comprising a cylindrical housing 4 supported in a suitable position upon the automobile. Preferably the housing or distributor is supported from the dash 5 and to this end it is provided at its rear end with a plate G adapted to be secured to the dash and having a forwardly projecting screwthreaded flange 7 adapted to be screwed into the rear portion of the housing. Thus when tlv plate 6 is screwed or otherwise secured to the dash the distributer as a whole will be supported therefrom.

The forward portion of the housing, that is, the portion farthest removed from the dash, has formed therein a series of pockets or chambers 8, there being one of these chambers for each cylinder of the engine, in the present instance, four. These pockets may be formed by boring or otherwise coring out the housing or body portion of the distributor and in such instances the bottoms of the pockets will be formed integral with the side walls of the housing, as shown in Fig. 2. The pockets preferably terminate Short of the forward end of the housing and that portion of the interior of the housing' lying between the forward end of the pocket and the forward end of the housing itself constitutes a chamber The forward end of each pocket may be rinsed fr any suitablemeans, such, for eX- aniph, as a screw-threaded disk or plug 10 inserted irl' the forward end thereof and having au. aperture 11. These disks may also be provided with recesses 1Q which, together with the apertures l1. enable the disk to be gripped. and plated by means of spanners.

The forward portion of the housing is ed by means of a screw-threaded ca or dish i3 which screwed into the end o the housing and is spaced such a distance from the forward ends of the pockets as to form au iuclosed chamber, as indicated at 9. The cap or closure 13 has an inlet opening 14 to which is connected a conduit 15 leading to the Presto-lite tank 2.

Where it is desired to utilize acetylene gas both for lighting and starting purposes the discharge apparatus of the tank, which is indicated a whole 1t 16, may be provided with a T, 17, to one side of which is connected the conduit 15 leading to the distributor and to the other of which is connected the conduit 18 leading to the lam s. The regulating valve and indicator 3, which are interposed in the conduit 15 between the tank and the distributor, may be of any suitable character by means of which the amount of pressure in the conduit beyond the valve may be regulated.

The gas passes from the tank through the conduit 15 into the chamber 9 and thence through the apertures 11 into the several pockets. These apertures being normally open, and in the form shown in Fig. 2 always Y open, the gas has ample time in which to travel from the tank to the pockets and establish the desired pressure in the pockets, this action taking place when the starter is not in use. Each pocket is further connected by means of a suitable conduit with one of the cylinders of the engine. In the present instance these conduits are formed in the rear portion of the housing 4, as indicated at 19, and coinnu'lnicate at their outer ends with nipples 20 screwed into the eX- terior wall of the housing and connected by pipes 2L with the respective cylinders.

Suitable cut-offs are interposed between the pockets and their cylinders in order that the flow of gas from the pockets to the cylinders may be controlled. These cutoffs, as here shown, are in the form of rotary plug valves having transverse ports Q3 arranged at acutc angles to the length of the valves and adapted to register, When the valves are in given positions, with the respective conduits on both sides of the valves, thus establishing communication between the respective pockets and their cyl# housing is provided with a space between 'that portion thereof in which the valves are valvesjare so arranged that .they will be successively moved into registration with the respective conduits, thus establishing communication between the several pockets and their cylindersin a prescribed order.

#The valves are rotated in unison in order "to-effect the establishment of communica- 'tionbetween the p ockets and their cylinders. In the present instance the rear end of the mounted and the plate 6, as indicated at 24. VJEach valve has secured to its rear end and varranged within the space 24 apinion 25. These pinions all mesh with a central pinion 26 rigidly secured to a shaft 27 journaled in the rear end of the housing, extending through the dash and provided Ion its 1'rear end with a handle 28. The rota- 'tion of this handle causes the valves to be rotated in unison and the gas to be admitted from the pockets to the cylinders in the order of firing. The handle has a spring-pressed pin 29 mounted therein and adapted to engage a recess 30 in the dash to holdl the handle in its neutral position v With all the valves in their closed positions. If desired, each valve 22 may also be provided with an exhaust port 31 adapted to register with an exhaust passage' 32 in the outer wall of the housing and with that Aportion of the conduit 1.9 leading to the cylinder, when the port 23 is out of alinernent therewith. In the present instance and for convenience of manufacture the housing is shown as formed in two parts, the line of -division extending between the part having the pockets and the part in which the valves are mounted and the two partsbeing connected by screwing one into the other', as indicated at 33.

The several conduits or pipes 21 are connected with their respective cylinders by means oi plugs 3l screw-threaded into the cylinder heads, as shown in detail in Fig. 8. Each of these plugs is provided with a needle valve 35 having a stein 36 extending above the plug and provided with a head 37 having a series of teeth L38 which may be engaged by a resilient linger 39 to hold the valve in adjusted positions. 'If desired, the top of the head 37 may have the-veen marks or numbers to indicate the position of the valve. By making the inlet to the cylinders adjustable the inlet to the cylinder farthest removed from the distributer may be opened toa greater degree than the inlets to the cylinders nearer the distributer, thus 'permitting 'the gas to ipass more rapidly through the longer pipes and causing substantially equal quantities of gas to enter the several cylinders duringv a prescribed interval. If desired check valves 34 may be interposed in the conduits to prevent the escape of' gases from the engine through the conduits.`

As above stated lthe pockets' 8 are normally in communication with' the tank and therefore normally contain charges of gas. When it is desired to start the engine the handle 28 is revolved through a complete revolution, thus connectingeach pocket for a brief interval with its cylinder. During this interval gas will pass from the pocket to the cylinder. lBy then closing the ignition circuit, by means of the usual switch 40, the spark will be produced in that cylinder in which the piston is in the proper position and the gas thus exploded, thereby imparting movement to the piston and starting the engine.

It will be apparent in the construction above described that during the brief interval that the pockets are connected with their respective cylinders they are also connected with the tank. The interval is s0 short, however, that no considerable amount of gas will travel through the long conduit leading from the tank to the distributer and very little gas in excess of what is in the pockets will enter the cylinders. However, it it is desired to introduce a measured charge into each cylinder this can be done by interrupting communication between the pockets and the tank while the pockets are in communication with their cylinders.

In Fig. 10, I have illustrated one method of accomplishing this result. the construction is the same as that above described with the exception that the shaft which actuates the valves, and is here indi cated at 41, extends through the distributer and terminates in the chamber 9 at the forward end thereof. Rigidly secured to the forward end of this shaft is a disk 42 having therein four apertures adapted, when the handle is in its neutral position,to register with the four apertures ll connecting the chamber 9 with the respective pockets 8. When the handle has been moved out of its normal position and is in a position in which any one of thepocketsmav be connected with the cylinder the disk willbe in a position to close the aperture 11 leading to that pocket, thereby interrupting the communication between the pocket and the tank.

In Figs. 1l and 12 I have shown another form of distributer which comprises but a single valve. body portion or housing 43 has a seriesof pockets 44 arranged parallel one with the other, the series extending lengthwise of the'v housing. Each 'pocket is connectedby means y' of-a port 445 with a'passagewor-conduit'zi In this typeof distributer the which, in turn, communicates with a suppiy pipe 47 leading from the source of supply. If desired this supply may be controlled by means of a valve 48 which is here shown as a turn-plug valve interposed between the pipe and the passage. Each pocket communicates by means of a port 49 with a Valve chamber 50 in which is rotatably mounted an elongated tapered plug valve 51 having ports to connect the several pockets successively with the conduits 52 leading to the cylinders. The valves may be rotated by means of a handle 53 mounted at its outer end on a valve stem 5.4. A pinion 55 is secured to the opposite end of the valve and .is connected by apinion 56 with a pinion 57 on the valve 51. It will be noted that the turn plug valve and casing as here shown are provided with other ports. tional ports are not for use with acetylene gas but with other fluids and they need not be here described. It will be apparent that thev operation of this distributer is substantially the same as that of the distributers above described and that by means of it measured charges of gas can be introduced into the several cylinders.

It sometimes happens that the engine will stop on a dead center. When this takes place it is necessary to move the shaft. far enough to throw the engine ofi1 dead center before it is fired. In order that this may be done without the necessity of leaving the vehicle I secure to the fly wheel 58 a series of projections A59 and pivotally mount on the frame of the'machine a lever or pawl G0 arranged in a position to engage one or the projections 59. A plunger 61 is pivotally connected to the pawl 60 and extends through the foot-board 62 of the machine where it may be actuated by the driver to impart the necessary movement to the shaft. A spring 63 coiled about the shaft within a housing 64 tends to hold the pawl normally in its uppermost position and out of the path of the projections 59.

Itv will be apparent, therefore, that I have provided mechanism whereby acetylene gas or other gases of highly explosive character may be utilized for starting an explosive engine with complete safety, the gas being ady mitted to the cylinders in quantities which are either measured or so controlled that a Small amount of gas only can enter the cylinder and that this gas can be introduced These addi:

With the respective cylinders of said engine.

2. The combination, with an engine having a plurality of cylinders, of a starter comprising a series of pockets adapted to receive and store quantities of gas, lneans to connect said pockets with the respective cylinders of said engine, and a single operating device to actuate the connecting means of all of said pockets.

3. The combination with an engine hav-- ing a plurality of cylinders, and a storage device to receive and store a quantity of gas under pressure, of means to connect said device with the cylinders of said engine and to cause measured portions of said gas to enter the respective cylinders.

4. The combination, with an explosive engine having a plurality of cylinders, and a source of gas supply, of a distributerl hav# ing a series of pockets, a connection between said pockets and said source of supply, other connections between said pockets and the respective cylinders of said engine, and means to open and close both the first-men tioned and the last-mentioned connections.

5. The combination, with an explosive engine having a plurality of cylinders and a source of gas supply, of a device having a plurality of storage chambers each connected with said source of gas supply and adaptl ed to receive and store a charge of gas, connections between said chambers and the respective cylinders of said engine, operable means to control the la st-mentioned connec` 7. The combination with an enfflnc hav-- ing a plurality of' cylinders, and a source of gas supply, of a combined storage and dis` tributing device interposed between said source of supply and said engine, means to interrupt the communication between said device and said source of supply and to connect said device with the cylinders of said engine, whereby said device will receive and store a supply of gas and distribute it among the cylinders of said engine.

8. The combination, with an engine having a plurality of cylinders, and a source of gas supply, of a distributing device interposed between said source of supply and said engine and having a plurality of' pockets, said pockets being normally in open communication with said source of gas supply, said pockets being normally disconnected from the cylinders of said engine, and means for establishing communication between said pockets and the respective cylinders of said engine.

9. The combination, with an explosive engine comprising a plurality of cylinders, and a source of gas supply, of a housing containing a`plurality of storage chambers, a conduit leading .from said source of gas supply to said housing and communicating with each ot' said chambers, a conduit leading from each chamber to the respective cylinder of said engine, and valves to control each of the last-mentioned conduits.

10. The combination, with an explosive engine comprising a plurality of cylinders, and a source of gas supply, of a housing containing a plurality of chambers, a conduit leading from said source of gas supply to said housing and communicating with each of said chambers, a conduit leading from each chamber to the respective cylinder of said engine, valves to control each of the last-mentioned conduits, an operating handle, and a geared connection between said handle and each of said valves.

11. The combination, with an explosive engine comprising a pluralitylof cylinders, and a source of gas supply, of a housing containing a plurality of chambers, a connection between each of said chambers and said source of supply, a connection between each chamber and the respective cylinder of said engine, an exhaust passage, and a valve to interrupt the connection between said cylinder and the respective chamber and to connect said cylinder with said exhaust passage.

12. The combination, with anlflfexplosive engine, having a plurality of cylinders, and a source of gas supply, of a distributer having a plurality of chambers, a connection between said chambers and Said source of supply, and an adjustable connection between each of said chambers and the respective cylinder of said engine, and means for interrupting said connection.

13. A starter for an explosive engine comprising a housing having at one end a plurality of pockets and a chamber, said cham-' ber being in open communication'with a suitable surce of gas supply, and means for establishing communication between said chamber and the respective ports, conduits leading from the respective ports through said housing and adapted to be connected with the cylinders of an engine, rotary valves mounted in said housing and arranged to control the respective conduits, and means for actuating said valves.

14. The combination, with an explosive engine having a plurality of cylinders. and a source of gas supply, of a distributer having a series of pockets, a Connection between said pockets and said source of supply, means for controlling said connection, other connections between said pockets and the respective cylinders of said engine, and means for con-- trolling said last-mentioned connei'ttion.

15. The combination, with an explosive engine having a plurality of cylinders, and a source of gas supply, of a distributer having a seriesof pockets, a connection between said pockets and said source of supply, means for controlling said connection, other connections between said pockets and the respective cylinders of said engine, and a single means for controlling both the first-mentioned and the last-mentioned connections.

16./ The combination, with an engine having a plurality of cylinders, and a supply of combustible Huid under pressure, of mechanism communicating with said supply of fluid to receive therefrom and to measure charges of combustible Huid under pressure and to distribute said charges to the respective cylinders of said engine.

17. The combination, with an engine having a plurality of cylinders, and a supply of combustible Huid under pressure, of mecl'ianism communicating with said suppl of fluid to receive therefrom and to me ire charges of combustible Huid under pressure and to distribute said charges successively to the respective cylinders of said engine.

18. The combination, with an` engine having a pluralityA of cylinders, and a supplyy of combustible Huid under pressure, of mechanism communicating with said supply of Huid to receive therefrom and to measure charges of combustible fluid under pressure and to distribute said charges to the respective cylinders of said engine, and. operabie means to control said mechanism.

19. The combination, with an engine having a cylinder, a casing having a chamber adapted to communicate with a source of gas supply, a rotatable device to connect said chamber with and disconnect the same from the cylinder of said engine, and means for simultaneously imparting rotation to said rotatable device and for interrupting the communication between said chamber and said source of gas supply.

20. In a starter, a casing having a storage chamber adapted to communicate with a source of gas supply, an operable device to control said communication, a second operable device to connect said chamber with the engine, both of said operable devices being supported externally of said chamber, aud a l fi single operating member for oom 4of saidy devices.

21. The-combination Wigiiva a muiiide (ij/iinder internni. commi-suon engine, of i device movable to successive positions to measure charges of combustible Huid and distribute the same to the sevelsi ejsiinders of smid en gine.

2Q. The onibination with a multiple cylinder iriternzd combustion engine`r of means for distributing mzlsured Charges of eempressed combustible fiuid successively to all of the cylinders of said engine.

v23. The combination, with an engine baving u plurality of cylinders, and a source of gas supply, of storage device to receive and store a quantity of gas, means to connect said device with the cylinders of said engine, and means to cause substantially equal portions of .said gas to enter the respectye cylinders.

Qi. The combination, With anngine having" :i pluraiity of cylinders, of a distributor constructed and arranged to receive combusti'le Huid under pressure and to introduce measured charges of said fluid into the several cylinders of said engine.

'in testimony whereof, 'I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. AUFULDISH. `Witn esses J. W. AIKMAN, HARRIET L. HAMMAKER. 

